CANYON LAKE: Fire plan gets little support at committee meeting

Ex-firefighter says his idea could save city $650,000

A plan that would convert Canyon Lake's fire protection service
to a staff of volunteer and apprentice firefighters got very little
support at a recent public safety committee meeting, but its author
at least got credit for opening some meaningful dialogue.

Pat Colleary, who served in fire protection for 34 years and now
is the city's lake enforcement officer, estimated that under his
plan, the city could save $650,000 a year on fire and emergency
medical services.

His proposal comes as the city faces difficulty in maintaining
its level of service without breaking its budget. Canyon Lake now
spends about $1.4 million for service provided through the
Riverside County Fire Department and the California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection. The expanding costs of fire and
police service caused the City Council to move nearly $1 million
from its reserve fund to balance the budget for fiscal 2010-11.

"I reviewed the current budget and came up with a plan where
Canyon Lake would have its own fire department," Colleary said.

He added that in no way would it provide service comparable to
that received from CalFire, but it would give residents a service
that was financially responsible.

Colleary's plan has two options.

Both would include a chief, three battalion chiefs, one
part-time and one full-time captain, three fire engine operators
(one working part time), two career firefighters, 14
resident-volunteer firefighters and 28 firefighter interns trained
at local academies.

The basic differences are that one option provides for two
stations ---- Station 60 and perhaps another at Blue Bird Hall ----
and three fire engines. The other option would include one station,
two engines and a retirement plan through the California Public
Employees' Retirement System.

Colleary concluded that it was a reasonable proposal that
wouldn't create a budget deficit. He said he at least would like to
see the city create a blue-ribbon committee of firefighters who
live in the gated community to study it further.

"We're not talking about trailblazing or reinventing the wheel,"
Colleary said. "We want the best service the city can provide
within the current fiscal restraints."

Others at last month's meeting said that while it was good for
people such as Colleary to offer proposals, this one would not be
feasible.

CalFire Battalion Chief Steve Gallegos, whose agency would be
replaced under Colleary's plan, said there isn't enough of a
volunteer pool in Canyon Lake to make the plan work. He added that
paramedics probably wouldn't last long because they'd want to seek
higher-paying jobs elsewhere.

The Fair Labor Standards Act also doesn't allow firefighters
from one district to be paid by another firefighting agency,
Gallegos said, thus preventing any firefighters working in other
cities from also working in the city where they live during their
off time.

"I've reviewed the proposal, and I think there are too many
assumptions and it's not reasonably attainable," Gallegos said.

Other speakers were concerned that the proposal could drive up
individual fire insurance costs and that the report lacked
significant analysis. Still others were concerned about
jeopardizing mutual aid calls from surrounding cities.

For now, the council continues to consider two options that will
be discussed in earnest after Jan. 1. One is a special tax
assessment of at least $100 a year to help maintain existing fire
service, a plan that would require voter approval to go into
effect.

The other option is like a subscription service, where residents
pay a special annual fee for fire and emergency medical service.
Those who decide not to be a part of that plan would have to pay
hefty fees for individual fire calls to their homes.

Councilman Barry Talbot, who sits on the public safety
committee, said both options would be temporary, lasting until the
economy improves and until property tax and sales tax revenue start
to climb.